Paper negatives

[Emil Schildt]

gandolfi, I've been trying paper negatives and it's so much fun. my question is would marking the paper at the back with pencil or red lipstick work with a scanner or it must be contact printed?

best,
digoy

Eric got it right... (The light on a flatbed scanner is reflective, so it doesn't see what's on the back on the negative in this case...)

here' san example of an image manipulated a little on the back::

[axs810]

very cool Gandolfi

Just curious whats the back of your paper negative look like? lol

[Kimberly Anderson]

10x16 diptych. Photographed using Ilford MG IV matte paper. Contact printed onto Oriental Warm Tone.

[Digoy]

^^ It would have to be contact printed if you used red lipstick or pencil for the back of the paper negative. You can always scan it and do your dodging in post production too though.

Eric got it right... (The light on a flatbed scanner is reflective, so it doesn't see what's on the back on the negative in this case...)

here' san example of an image manipulated a little on the back::

EricOmori and gandolfi, thank you for the answer and that's what I thought too. I will definitely try that technique.

[jonesp]

I'm excited at not only my first chance to use my refurbished 8x10, but also about my first stab at paper negative processing and contact printing. Taken with a Seneca/National 8x10 with Betax No.4 Wollensak Shutter, Kodak Polycontrast III RC Semi-Matt paper rated at ASA 4, f11, 35 seconds, developed Dektol 1:2. Contact printed on Ilford Multigrade RC Glossy paper. This is a great alternative process to using film (and a lot cheaper) and I fortunately have thousands of sheets of paper to play with, so let the games begin.

[JoeV]

I recently acquired a +4 diopter close-up lens in 52mm thread mount, a coated glass meniscus lens with about a 250mm focal length. Yesterday I fitted it into my 8x10 tailboard camera and this morning had a chance to test it out. These two images are from pre-flashed grade 2 Arista RC paper negatives.

~Joe

9mm aperture, 296mm focal length, f/33, 7 second exposure:


17mm aperture, 333mm focal length, f/19.5, 1.5 second exposure:

[blueribbontea]

Joe: excellent image quality. Paper negs are a lot of fun.

[JoeV]

Another image made in my kitchen under the Solatube skylight. 341mm focus, 17mm aperture, f/20, exposure 5 seconds. Pre-flashed grade 2 paper. If you look carefully, you can spot the wood clothespin under the duck, propping him up at a more favorable viewing angle, an example of good shadow detail.

~Joe

[Barry Kirsten]

These are really nice, Joe. To control aperture did you have the close-up lens mounted in an iris clamp? Thanks,

Barry

[JoeV]

@Barry: My homemade tailboard camera has a slot on the front of the camera for aperture plates, about the thickness of masonite board. There's another slot in front for the masonite shutter. The lens itself is mounted on the inside front of the box. This places the apertures plates in front of the meniscus lens.

I went back into the workshop and adjusted the position of the lens mount to be better centered onto the aperture plates, hoping to eliminate the off-center vignetting. Here's another test. 15 second exposure onto pre-flashed grade 2 RC paper.

~Joe